Hyderabad, Jan 12: The government of Telangana will launch the process to issue new ration cards from January 26.

Key Points
1. State to verify beneficiary data between Jan 16-20
2. New ration cards will be issued from Jan 26
3. No new eligibility criteria added
4. Multiple schemes launching simultaneously

State Transport and Backward Classes Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar told the media after meeting officials in Hyderabad on Sunday that the beneficiaries will be identified during the verification process at the field level between January 16 and 20.

The data of identified beneficiaries will be entered from January 21 and new ration cards will be issued from January 26.

Ponnam Prabhakar, who is in-charge minister for Hyderabad, said the Congress government has not laid down any new criteria for issuing new ration cards.

He said the eligibility rules framed in the past would be followed to issue the ration cards. He also assured that the families, who migrated to Hyderabad from districts, would also be issued ration cards.

He said the government would rise above politics to do justice to the poor. Ponnam Prabhakar said applications for new ration cards and Indiramma houses would be accepted.

He said those who have lands in Hyderabad would be given priority under the Indiramma housing scheme to help them build houses.

The minister said the Congress government would also complete the double-bedroom houses whose construction was taken up by the previous government.

The government would hold discussions with contractors in this regard.

The completed 2BHK houses will be allotted to beneficiaries through a draw of lots.

Making it clear that the new ration cards will be issued in the state as per the previous eligibility rules, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy instructed the District Collectors to take precautions that a person should not possess the ration card in multiple places.

Issuing new ration cards and sanctioning of Indiramma houses are among four schemes to be launched by the government on January 26. On the same day, the government would launch Rythu Bharosa, under which farmers will be given crop investment support of Rs 12,000 per acre and Indiramma Atmiya Bharosa, under which every landless poor labourer family will be provided financial assistance of Rs 12,000 annually.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy announced on January 10 that lists of Indiramma Atmiya Bharosa and ration card beneficiaries will be displayed in Gram Sabhas. The Chief Minister stated that his government's goal is to build houses for all homeless families.

The details of 18.32 lakh people identified through the Indiramma app have already been sent to the districts. The poorest of the poor will be given priority in the sanction of the houses. Under the first phase of the scheme, 3,500 houses have already been sanctioned for every Assembly constituency.